Ecology of Gene Expression

Abstract

The fundamental importance of the expression of genes has long been recognised in biology, but understanding its role in ecology and evolution has only recently begun to gain traction. This Special Issue highlights recent developments in this field, with 43 papers focusing on transcriptional variation in ecological processes, responses to environmental gradients or stressors, and as an important phenotype affecting other measurable traits, including fitness. This issue also highlights the rapid advancements in methods that will continue to improve our understanding of this molecular phenotype. In this Editorial, we highlight the diversity of authors in these papers and how they contribute to an improved understanding of molecular ecology. We hope that this discussion will inspire and drive progress towards equity, diversity and inclusion in ecology and evolutionary biology. Finally, we suggest some recommendations for Molecular Ecologists to advance the research area of ecology of gene expression.